Velocipede.



PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

2 snnms-snnm 1;

G. A. RUDBBGK.

VELOGIPEDE APPLICATION FILED r1112. 1, 1905.

PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906. C. A. RUDBEUK. VBLOCIPEDE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.].1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

uueufoz n W m i CLAUS AUG. RUDBECK, OF GIBSON CITY, ILLINOIS.

VELOCIPEDE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.' 27, 1906.

Application filed February I, 1905. Serial No. 243,635.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OLAUs AUGUST RUD- BECK, a citizen of the United States, residin at Gibson City, in the county of Ford an State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention a pertains to road-ma chines of the type esigned to be propelled by either hand or foot power, or both, and aims to devise a novel power-transmitting means including a ratchet-wheel and cooperating pawl.

The invention also contemplates a pivoted frame. or lever and a steerin -post carried thereby and having a universaI joint, whereby the pilot-wheel may be turned at any position of thesaid frame or lever within its ran e of movement.

T e invention further embodies a pawl of eculiar formation positively actuated in oth directions to clear the teeth of the ratchet-wheel in its rearward movement and to engage with said teeth on its forward movement, said pawl being limited in its back stroke.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be hadto tlile followlng description and accom anym rawm s.

W iile th inventid n may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without de arting from the spirit or essential features t ere of, still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanyin drawings, in which Figure 1 is a si e view of a velocipede em-, bodying the invention, the rear portion being in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the velocipede. Flg. 3 1s a transverse section on the line w a: of Fig. 1 looking to the rear, as indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the lower portion of the pivoted frame or lever and the power and steering devices intimately associated therewith. Fig. 5 is a modification showing a construction admitting of continuous application of power for propelling the machine.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. 1 Within the purview of the invention it is contemplated to apply the propelling and steering mechanism to anytype of road-machine designed to be propelled either by hand or foot power, the velocipede shown illustrating the preferred mode of application.

As illustrated, the frame of the machine comprises an upper section 1 and a lower section 2, springs 3 being interposed between the two sections to neutralize shock and vibration and add materially to the comfort of the rider. An u Ward and forward extension 4 projects om the front end of the frame and receives the stem of the fork 5, provided with the pilot-wheel 6. The fork 5 may be mounted in the extension 4 in any well-known manner, and its stem is provided at its upper end with a crank-arm 7, which is connected, by means of a link or bar 8, with a companion crank-arm 9, fprovided at the upper end of a vertical sha t 10, suitably journaled to the members 1 and 2 of the frame and to the rear portion ofthe forward extension 4. The lower end of the shaft 10 is provided with a crank-arm 1 1, which is connected, by means of a rod or bar 12, witha crankarm 13 at the lower end of the steering-post 14. The rotation of the steerin -post' 14, in the manner well understood, e ects a correspondin movement of the pilot wheel, whereby are machine may be properly di rected when in motion.

The rear axle 15 is provided at its ends with drive-wheels 16 and at a point between its ends'with a sprocket wheel or pulley 17, with which cooperates a sprocket-chain or drivebelt 18. A shaft 19 parallels the axle 15 and is connected thereto by means of rods or bars 20, so as to maintain the parts 15 and 19 in arallelism. A ratchet Wheel 21 is fast upon the shaft 19 to rotate therewith, and a sprocket wheel or pulley 22 is similarly secured to the shaft 19 for rotation therewith. The sprocket-chain or drive-belt 18 connects the parts 17 and 22. Arms 23 are loose upon the 'shaft 19 and support a pawl 24 at their outer ends, said pawl cooperating with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 21. A link or like connection .25 is interposed between the pawl 24 and the lower end of the pivoted frame or lever 26. The connection 25 is joined to the pawl 24 a short distance from the pivotal connection between said pawl and the arms 23, the purpose being to positively actuate the pawl in both directions, accordmg as the link 25 is pressed rearward or pulled forward. A forward movement of the frame or lever 26 at its upper end imparts a corresponding rearward movement to its lower end, said movement being transmitted to the pawl 24 through the instrumentality of the connection 25. During the rearward stroke of the connection 25 the pawl 24 is moved so as to clear theteeth of. the ratchet-wheel 21 thereby permitting of free movements of the parts, as well as obviating the clicking noise incident to the riding of a pawl upon its cooperating teeth in the usual ratchet-and-pawl connection. As the connection 25 is drawn forward the pawl 24 is moved and caused to engage positively with a tooth of the ratchetwheel 21, so as to turn it and impart movement to the axle and drive wheels 16 in the manner well understood. A suitable stop 27 limits the movement of the pawl 24 when disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 21.

The frame or lever 26 is composed of similar side pieces transversely spaced and connected so as to operate as a un1tary part. The lower extremities of the side members are connected by means of a rod or bar 28, to .p

lzing the speed and movement.

which the link or part is attached. The steering-post 14 is mounted in the transverse connections of said side pieces, and its upper end is projected beyond the upper extremity of the frame or lever and provided with a handle-bar 29 for convenience of manipulating the said frame and the steering post. The frame or lever 26 is pivoted to the main frame of the machine at 30, and the steeringpost 14 is provided with a gimbal or other type of unlversal joint in line with the fulcrum or axis of the frame or lever 26, so as to admit of the upper and lower sections of the 4 steering articulating or flexing as the frame 26 is oscillated to and fro in the propulsion of the machine. The universal joint is indicated at 31 and may be of any construction best adapted tothe arrangement and location of the parts. The lower section of the steering-post is indicated at 32 and is mounted in a manner to admit of its crank-arm 13 maintaining a fixed relation to the crank-arm 11, thereby preventing binding of the section 32, which would result if the joint 31 were not present. As a result of the construction disclosed the pilot-wheel 6 may be moved to properly steer the machine at any position of the lever or frame 26 within the range of its movements.

The means herein described provide for manual operation of the machine, and to admit of propelling the same by foot power a crank-shaft 33 is provided and mounted in bearings fitted to the lower member 2 of the frame. The crank-shaft may be of any construction usually provided in foot-propelled machines and is supplied with pedals 34, its crank 35 being connected by pitmen or bars 36 with the lower end of the frame or lever 26. The crank-shaft is designed to have imparted thereto a rocking movement. Hence the pedals and their cranks receive an oscillatory movement solely.

A road-machine, such as a velocipede or any type of polycycle, may be propelled either by hand or foot power, or by a combined action of both, as desired. By the arran ement illustrated power is preferably app ied when pulling back upon the upper end of the frame or lever 26 and when pressing forward upon the pedals 34. No matter what may be the position of the part 26 the machine is under perfect control of the rider with reference to steering, the arrangement of parts herein disclosed permitting of such control. The drivers seat 37 may be conveniently located upon the frame and may be adjusted in the accustomed manner to suit the convenience and comfort of the rider.

It is to be understood that a machine embodying the invention may be equipped with any type of brake mechanism for controllin the speed, and, if so desired, may be supplied with a balance-wheel such as commonly emloyed in connection with motors for equal- It frequently happens that power may be advantageously expended for continuous propulsion of the machine, and to meet this condition the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 has been devised. A duplicate pawl 37 and supporting arm or frame 38 are provided, the pawl being connected to the cross-rod 28 of the frame or lever 26 by means of links or bars 39. The connection between the pawl 37 and links 39 is precisely the same as the connection between the bars 25 and the pawl to admit of positive movement of the pawl in both directions as the lever 26 is oscillated. When the pawl 24 is traveling forward and moves the ratchet-wheel 21, the pawl 37 is correspondingly carried forward clear of the teeth of said ratchet-wheel. As the frame or lever 26 moves in the opposite direction to carry the pawls 24 and 37 backward, the pawl 24 clears the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, whereas the pawl 37 positively engages with a tooth thereof and imparts movement to the said ratchet-wheel in a manner readily comprehended.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a velocipede or analogous road-machine, the combination of propelling mechanism including a pivoted frame or lever, a pilot-wheel, and a steering-post operatively connected with said pilot-wheel and mounted in said frame or lever and having a universal joint approximately in line with the fulcrum or axis of said pivoted frame or lever, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a velocipede or like road-machine, the combination of propelling mechanism including a frame or lever fulcrumed at a point between its ends, a steering-post composed of sections, one of said sections being mounted sisymi in said frame or lever and the other section mounted in the main frame of the machine, the two sections being connected by means of auniversal joint approximately in line with the fulcrum or axis of the pivoted frame or lever, .a pivot-wheel, and connecting means between said pilot-wheel and the section of the steering-post mounted in the main frame of the machine, substantially as set forth.

3. In avelocipede or like machine, the combinationof propelling mechanism including a pivoted frame or lever, a pilot-wheel, a vertical shaft having crank connection with the frame of said pilot-wheel, a sectional steeringpost having one section mounted in the machine-frame and connected with the aforesaid shaft and having the other section mounted in said pivoted frame or lever, and a universal joint connecting the two sections of the steering-post and approximately in line with the fulcrum of the axis of the pivoted frame or lever.

4. In a velocipede or kindred machine, the combination of propelling mechanism including a ivoted frame or lever, a steering-fork provi ed with a pilot-wheel, a vertical shaft, connecting means between said shaft and the steering-fork, and a steering-post composed of sections connected by means of a universal joint, one of said sections being mounted in the pivoted frame or lever andthe other section mounted in the frame of the machine parallel with the aforementioned vertical shaft and connected therewith, the parts being arranged to admit of proper steering of the machine at any position of the aforesaid frame or lever.

5. In a velocipede or analogous machine, the combination of propelling mechanism in cluding a pivoted frame or lever comprising similar side pieces transversely spaced and connected by cross-pieces, a steering-fork provided with a ilot-wheel, a sectional steeringpost located in the space formed between the side pieces of the aforesaid pivoted frame, one of the sections being mounted in the crosspieces connecting said side pieces and the other section mounted in a part of the machine-frame having connection with said steering-fork, and a universal joint connecting the two sections of the steering-post to admit of the machine being properly guided at any position of the aforementioned pivoted frame or lever.

6. In combination, anaxle providedwith a drive-wheel, a shaft connected with said axle, a ratchet-wheel fast upon said shaft, a supporting-arm mounted coaxially with said shaft, a pawl loose upon said supporting-arm,

a pivoted frame or lever, connecting means between said frame and pawl for positive actuation of the latter in each direction, a crank-shaft having crank-arms connected with the pivoted frame, a steering-fork pro vided with a pilot-wheel, a steering-post composed of sections connected by means of a universal joint, one of said sections being mounted in the pivoted frame and the other in the frame of the machine, and connecting means between the steering-fork and the section of the steering-post mounted in the frame of the machine, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLAUS AUG. RUDBECK. 

